John Lewis has unleashed its much-anticipated Christmas ad on the nation to draw shoppers into its stores including the one in Cambridge.

The advert, starring Buster the boxer, has been released weeks before the first present has been opened.

The retail giant is kick-starting the shopping countdown to Christmas in the festive advert war.

Millions of pounds is spent by retailers in a bid to be the most talked about commercial.

John Lewis has released it’s upbeat advert this morning – a move away from the emotion-laden tearjerkers of recent years – where a boxer dog called Buster steals the show.

Four-year-old pooch Biff was handpicked from dozens of others Boxers to play Buster - chosen for his “expressive” face.

John Lewis advert - Buster (Image: John Lewis advert - Buster)

Alongside him are computer-generated stars - two foxes, a badger, a squirrel and even a hedgehog who has ventured out of hibernation - who enjoy a late-night bouncing session on the new trampoline in front of grump Buster who is stuck inside before he gets a turn on Christmas morning.

The retailer has aimed for a sense of fun in this year’s campaign, after 2016 had proved to be “quite a year”, and comes after it acknowledged that last year’s Man On The Moon was “a bit sad”.

Set to a magical cover of Randy Crawford’s 1980 jazz hit One Day I’ll Fly Away by London electronic group Vaults, who recorded it at Abbey Road studios with a 70-strong choir and 66-piece orchestra - with vocals from lead signer Blythe Pepino.

The Wildlife Trust are this year’s charity partners for the campaign and will receive a 10 per cent of every £15 soft Buster or £12 soft Halle the hedgehog, Betsy the badger, Otto the fox or Sid the squirrel sold.